Polio vaccination campaign to immunize millions in Africa

More than 100 million children below the age of five will be vaccinated against polio in a synchronized campaign covering 20 countries in West and Central Africa starting on Friday.

Tens of thousands of health workers and volunteers including Rotarians are uniting with health ministries, UN Agencies, and communities during four days of door-to-door vaccinations. Nigeria, one of three remaining polio-endemic countries along with Afghanistan and Pakistan, is aiming to get the two drops of oral vaccine into the mouths of 57.7 million children.

This year’s progress in India has proven what is possible when we focus on the task at hand. In Africa, the end of polio is in sight, but we still have hard work ahead. Failure is not an option.